"It's not a cat or a dog, it's a big animal and they just left it there to rot.

"Where I live is known for rats and I have got children playing in my garden.

"I feel heartbroken for the horse but I also feel angry at the council for leaving it there - it's ridiculous."

Mrs Williams, who works as a carer for the elderly, says she was afraid to let her daughters Honey, two, and six-year-old Poppy, play in the back garden of their three-bedroom terraced home just yards from the corpse.

The body remained slumped by a tree until it was removed in an area where horses owned by gypsies and travellers can often be seen grazing.

Mrs Williams said: "It fell underneath a tree and it had millions of flies around it.

"The owner could be out there wanting to know where it is."

A Bexley Council spokesman said: “We received a call from the police at 3.29 am on Sunday.

“A highway technician visited the site the same day. The animal was located in a private alleyway behind houses obstructed by household rubbish and the RSPCA were unable to assist the council with removal.

“Owing to the location and access problems, the council had to make arrangements with a specialist contractor with winching equipment.

I'm sure that those from the Belvedere/Scabbey Wood 'traveller' sites would know all the details. Not that they'd admit to it. They're too busy 'travelling'. I do believe the furthest they go these days is to the local offy/pub.

Maybe the police should ask the Saunders brothers.

"The owner could be out there wanting to know where it is."
I'm sure that those from the Belvedere/Scabbey Wood 'traveller' sites would know all the details. Not that they'd admit to it. They're too busy 'travelling'. I do believe the furthest they go these days is to the local offy/pub.
Maybe the police should ask the Saunders brothers.Mr Etips

Well to be fair to the council, maybe the horse's owner should arrange its removal - rather than our council tax paying for it - wonder how much it costs? except hang on, the owner probably couldn't care less about the horse, given the state that most of them are in. and anyway apparently there were 2 dead horses to deal with yesterday - both of them near gypsy traveller sites - just a coincidence i'm sure. why don't the police and rspca intervene more?

Well to be fair to the council, maybe the horse's owner should arrange its removal - rather than our council tax paying for it - wonder how much it costs? except hang on, the owner probably couldn't care less about the horse, given the state that most of them are in. and anyway apparently there were 2 dead horses to deal with yesterday - both of them near gypsy traveller sites - just a coincidence i'm sure. why don't the police and rspca intervene more?Anon159

So it's on private land in an inaccesible alleyway.
Yeah lets all blame the council who foot the bill for the removal.
It takes specialist equipment to remove such a large animal and dispose of correctly and dignified.

So it's on private land in an inaccesible alleyway.
Yeah lets all blame the council who foot the bill for the removal.
It takes specialist equipment to remove such a large animal and dispose of correctly and dignified.highway warrior